Two organizations received merit grants recognizing their outstanding work in the community. A $25,000 grant recognizing excellence in programming for women went to the Visiting Nurse Association. Camp Fire USA - Midlands Council received a $20,000 grant recognizing programming excellence for girls.

The Visiting Nurse Association has a 113-year history of providing public health nursing care to families in crisis and the economically disadvantaged. VNA programs serve new mothers, women who are incarcerated, those in substance abuse treatment programs and the homeless.

Camp Fire USA has been serving girls in the greater Omaha area since 1920.  Last year, 1,300 at-risk young women benefitted from its programs.  Its Teen Advisory Board provides opportunities for members to gain leadership skills.

Community Initiated Grants

Eleven non-profit organizations received some $70,000 in Women’s Fund community initiated grants. The grants fund programs addressing specific needs affecting women and girls in the community, as identified by Women’s Fund research.

Recipients are:

American Red Cross – $4,950 to integrate HIV and STD prevention education into its popular Babysitter’s Training course, targeting underserved teen girls.  Participants will be given information on at-risk behaviors and related topics so they can make healthy choices.

Camp Fire USA (Methodist Health System and Little Women awards) -- $6,000 to support sexual literacy programming for at least 50 girls ages 13 to 18. Twenty-five of the attendees will then teach other teens about healthy relationships and body image.

Catholic Charities -- $7,500 for Immigration Legal Services to provide low- to no-cost legal service to women seeking U-Visa relief. This process enables women to escape abusive relationships, obtain U.S. residency, and achieve self-sufficiency.

Essential Pregnancy Services -- $3,500 for "The Healthier, Stronger, More Beautiful You" is a peer support group for high-school-age women.  It strives to teach that healthy sexuality comes from physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

Family Housing Advisory Services (Weitz Award) -- $9,000 for the $mart Change Program providing single, low-income women knowledge to improve their financial condition. Workshops and counseling cover topics such as saving, tax benefits, credit issues, housing opportunities and community resources.

Girls Inc. -- $7,000 for "Sexpertise," a year-long program to educate 200 girls ages 13 to 18 about reproductive health and sexuality, dispel pregnancy and STD myths, increase the likelihood they will use resources available to them and will delay sexual activity, and reinforce their vision of a self-sufficient, successful future.

Justice for Our Neighbors -- $7,500 to step up education and advocacy efforts regarding domestic violence and other violent crimes toward women and children.  Focus is on the Violence Against Women immigration provision, as well as the U and T visas, to ensure clients, crisis workers and social service providers have current, correct information about these laws.

Nebraska Children’s Home Society -- $10,000 to expand its “Teen Girls Chat Program.” Up to 120 teen girls will participate in the program, which focuses on STD education and development of a healthy sense of sexual well-being and helps participants with self-empowerment skills.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland -- $3,000 to expand educational programming for women and adolescent girls in a substance abuse treatment facility. The program, which focuses on sexual health literacy, STD prevention and relationship issues, addresses the high rates of STDs among girls and women who abuse alcohol and/or use illicit drugs.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.2 (Lozier award) -- $2,500 to develop educational theatre to teach middle school students about STDs, risky sexual behaviors, making healthy choices, and how to support peers and access resources. R.E.S.P.E.C.T.2 is collaborating with schools and girl-serving organizations to develop and present these programs.

YWCA - $10,000 to develop the “Self-Sufficiency Pilot Program” to streamline and improve delivery of programs and services to 30 underserved, low-income women through the collaborative efforts of nine agencies. Participants will work individually with a YWCA case manager to develop short- and long-term goals.

Grants totaling $10,500 honor seven women who have previously received the WomanSpirit award. Recipients are American Red Cross, Camp Fire, Girls Inc., Heartland Family Service, Planned Parenthood and YWCA.